E. Guigal - Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Marcel and Philippe Guigal jointly run the successful family business, which since 2017 has expanded significantly in the south, to Châteauneuf-du-Pape (77 hectares of estate-owned vineyards), supplemented in the spring of 2022 by the 100 hectares of Château d’Aquéria. And, as always, the rich portfolio of vineyards in Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, and Hermitage. Wine lovers can enjoy some of the valley’s greatest vintages, not to mention the brilliant Côtes-du-Rhône in all three red, white, and rosé varieties, and Tavel, Philippe’s favorite wine.

Decanter

About the wine:

Dried fruits like plums, with a hint of prunes in the mix. Medium-bodied, with fresh, fine tannins; a rather ethereal style from La Mouline, with floral notes and an abundance of spicy oak among the roses. A compact style of wine for this vintage that reflects what this vineyard has to offer—a fine expression of the terroir. I’d drink it young, but it will age quite well.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

A Mouline that makes no secret of its luxurious oak aging, with its pronounced aromas of vanilla, mocha, and coconut. The fruit becomes a bit more apparent as the wine breathes, coming through in a full-bodied, fresh, and subtly tannic palate with lovely length, also supported by that same bold oak character.

About the estate:

In addition to its “treasures” in Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Condrieu, the Guigal estate owns two fine vineyards in Saint-Joseph: the locality known as “Saint-Joseph,” which gave its name to the appellation, and the Vignes de l’Hospice, planted on a very steep granite hillside—a site already identified by the monks of the Hospice de Tournon—with a geological formation similar to that of the famous Bessards hill in Hermitage.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the estate:

An iconic figure of the Northern Rhône, Marcel Guigal is both a major wine merchant and a prominent winegrower. In this latter capacity, he cultivates famous vineyards in Côte Rôtie, such as La Mouline, La Turque, and La Landonne, not to mention La Doriane in Condrieu. A tireless worker with an insatiable intellectual curiosity, he succeeded his father, Etienne. Philippe Guigal, an oenologist representing the third generation, continues the family legacy alongside his father, maintaining this dual focus on estate-owned vineyards and wine trading. The winemaking for the northern appellations all takes place in Ampuis.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Dominated by dark notes of espresso, black olives, and pumpernickel, the 2020 Côte Rôtie La Mouline lacked the floral aromas that are typically so expressive in this vineyard. Full-bodied and rich, this is an atypical, robust, and currently closed vintage from La Mouline. It will be interesting to see how it evolves over the next few years of aging.

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

The most iconic winery in the northern Rhône Valley needs no introduction. Under this label, we bring together wines from our own vineyards, which we thus distinguish from our wine merchant activities. This includes the famous Côte-Rôtie trio: La Mouline, La Turque, and La Landonne; the first two are brand names, while the last is a registered terroir. Added to these are the Château d’Ampuis cuvée, as well as the Condrieu La Doriane. In addition to these star wines, there is the Vignes de l’Hospice cuvée, a Saint-Joseph situated on a magnificent terroir, as well as several large plots in Hermitage from which the Ex-Voto cuvée is produced. Marcel Guigal is strongly supported by his son Philippe, who seems to be gently shifting the style of the wines, with aging that strikes us as slightly less dominant. Needless to say, all these wines are built for long-term aging.

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

A toasty note on the nose, but with an immense density of delicious fruit behind it. Very fine tannins. It has a Burgundian flair.

Vinous

About the wine:

The 2020 Côte-Rôtie La Mouline is spectacular, blending orange peel, dried meat, crushed stone, violet, raspberry, and cedar with a hint of espresso. Menthol notes round out the alluring aromatic profile. Tight yet soft tannins on the palate frame this exceptional La Mouline, which manages to combine elegance and power in a remarkable way. I can’t wait to taste it once it’s bottled.

James Suckling

About the wine:

A La Mouline that is so concentrated, so focused, and so brilliant for its vintage. The nose reveals aromas of blackberry, black plum, violet, forest floor, and black pepper. It is a full-bodied wine with very fine tannins. It is full-bodied, dense, and yet so refined. The power is well-controlled; the velvety, voluptuous core of cherries and black berries blends harmoniously with the spices. The refined tannins guide the mid-palate toward a long, textured finish. Best enjoyed after 2026.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

The 2020 Côte Rôtie La Mouline, which includes a significant amount of Viognier, comes from a steeply terraced plot in the Côte Blonde area and will spend four years in new French oak barrels, placing it at the top of the list of single-vineyard wines. I don’t think it has the density of the 2015 or the 2019, but it displays an incredibly classic La Mouline profile, with floral and fragrant notes of red and black fruits, spicy oak, roasted meats, and exotic spices that are to die for. With its full-bodied richness, a rich, layered, and multidimensional palate, and its integrated, flawless tannins, it will shine after just a few years of bottle aging and will continue to evolve for 15 to 30 years in cool cellars.